For the second time in 2016, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray face off in a Grand Slam final. Having faced each other in the Australian Open final earlier in the year they now meet in the French Open final on Sunday.
Novak Djokovic won that final in Melbourne and continues his quest for the calendar Grand Slam here while Murray will be looking for his first Slam in almost two years. Whatever happens in this final we are going to have a new champion because neither of these men have won this tournament before.
Novak Djokovic
It would be fair to say we saw nothing like the Novak Djokovic we expected in the first week of the tournament. While he came through largely unscathed, with the exception of the match against Roberto Bautista-Agut where he dropped the only set he’s lost in the tournament so far, he didn’t look the top class unbeatable player he has done for much of the last two years.
However that all changed from the quarter final onwards. The world number one took Tomas Berdych apart with some of the best tennis he’s played all year and then he thrashed Dominic Thiem in the semi-final and the worry for Murray is that the Serb is peaking at just the right time this fortnight.
Andy Murray
If Djokovic was below par the first week I’m not sure how to describe Andy Murray early on in this tournament. He found himself two sets down in the first round and then he was forced to go the distance in the second round too but to his credit he has got better as the week has gone on and delivered his best tennis of the tournament in the semi-final.
Murray goes into this final without much pressure on him. Not only is he playing the man who might go down as the greatest tennis player to ever live, if he isn’t already that, but he admitted himself that this is the Slam he didn’t expect to get to the final of so from here everything is a bonus.
Head to head
This will be the 34th time these two have met in competitive play. The most recent of the previous 33 matches was in the Rome final a week or so before this tournament and Murray won that match in straight sets.
Djokovic has largely had the edge over Murray in their Grand Slam meetings. He won the Australian final in straight sets earlier this year and last year he saw the Scot off in five sets in an epic match and nobody will be disappointed if this match is as good as that one ended up being that’s for sure.
Betting
This has shaped up to be a fantastic final. They both look to be playing their best stuff leading into the final which makes for an exciting prospect. Usually you would say if Djokovic plays his best he will win but Murray kind of muddied the waters a little bit with his win in Rome.
I’m interested to see the psychology of this final. There is no hiding away from the fact that Djokovic is desperate for this title but we saw him be too desperate last year and he largely played into the hands of Stan Wawrinka who powered past him in the final.
Murray isn’t going to power past Djokovic but if Djokovic wants it too much and starts hitting at things then all of a sudden Murray will be in a position to pick him off so this final is very much on Djokovic and how he approaches it mentally for me.
The games line for this final is interesting too. At 39.5 games there near enough needs to be five sets for that to be covered. The reason I say that is that since their meeting here last year only two out of 15 sets have gone beyond 10 games in their matches and they were both in the same match, in Australia earlier this year. It is rare that sets are extended when these two play.
I’ve a feeling whoever gets on top might run away with this final. They might not win it in straight sets although if the Djokovic that played Berdych and Thiem shows up that is perfectly possible but I don’t think this one will go the distance.
I know their meeting last year did but we shouldn’t forget that Murray was getting the mother of all beatings before the weather saved him and took the match to a second day where he clearly adopted all out aggression in his tactics. I don’t see him doing that here that’s for sure.
That game line is too high for me. Many expected their Australia final to be an epic but Murray couldn’t live with Djokovic that day. I suspect similar could happen here so I’m on the unders in this one.
Tips
WON – Back Under 39.5 games for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Skybet
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